Variable-speed laundry machine



Feb. 13194: H, D, BRQTMAN 2,369,334

VARIABLE SPEED LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed May 29, 1939 2 Shee'ts-Shee i 1Ailing l P I Pg, 1. Snventor 2 Bro/762?, 7

Ma 7' ornegs .Feb. 13, 1945 H. D. BROTMAN VARIABLE SPEED LAUNDRY MACHINEFiled May 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventor w W 7M (Ittornegs PatentedFeb. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE-SPEED LAUNDRY MACHINEHyman D. Brotman, Detroit, Mich. Application May 29, 1939, Serial No.276,304

I 12 Claims. This invention relates, in general, to laundry machinesand, in particular, to improvements in machines having variable speedtransmissions.

'A laundry machine employs a variable speed transmission for the purposeof enabling said machine to perform as a clothes-washing means as wellas a clothes-drying means, said transmission driving theclothes-containing tub at a relatively low rotary speed during thewashing phase and driving said tub at a relatively high rotary speedduring the drying phase. In this type of machine there has been employeda direct and positive driving connection between its tub and its driveshaft so as to assure the driving of said tub atand in accordance withthe speed of said shaft, but this type of connection has caused said tuband said shaft to be driven together not only during the operation ofsaid machine at either of its two speeds but also immediately upon thechanging over from one of said speeds to the other.

It has been and naturally still is desirable to have the tub rotate at.the same speed as its drive shaft, as long as the machine is beingoperated at either of its two speeds,.and any shock resulting from thechange-over from slow speed to high speed, when the aforementioneddirect and positive driving connection between the tub and its driveshaft has been employed, is no longer a matter of worry because variousmeans have been discovered and are at present incorporated in thetransmission itself to eliminate this shock. But, in the change-overfrom high speed to low speed severe shock has been encountered becauseof the great momentum of the tub and its tendency to continue its highspeed of rotation. If the machinery has been of such heavy constructionas to withstand this shock in the changeover from high to low speed, ithas been too massive and expensive; otherwise, breakage has occurredoften.

Therefore, the main object of this invention is to provide a new andimproved driving mechanism for a laundry machine which will obviate theabove objections existent in the present types.

Another object is to improve a variable speed laundry machine so as toeliminate the shock heretofore occurring at the time of changing fromone of its speeds to another.

Another object is to improve a variable speed laundry machine so as toeliminate undue stresses in its mechanism when changing the speed ofsaid machine from its higher speed to its lower speed.

Another object is to improve a variable speed 55 20 laundry machine soas to lengthen its life by providing a smoother operation during thespeed change-over periods.

Still other objects and advantages of the in-' vention will becomereadily apparent from a reference to the following specification takenin conjunction with the accompanying' drawings of which there are two(2) sheets and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the transmission of a laundrymachine and showing in detail the invention incorporated therein, thetub being shown in part; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the lines 2--2 in Fig. 1.

' The variable speed transmission, which is generally indicated at In inFig. 1, may be any one of several well known arrangements characteristicof this type of mechanism, but the arrangement chosen for purposes ofillustration is the same as that disclosed in my co-pending application,Serial No. 260,013, filed March 6, 1939, and entitled Laundry machine.Transmission Ill is shown as being automatic in its operation, but it isclear that it need not be, it being contemplated that said transmissioncould also be any one of the well known types of manually operatedmechanisms, such as the one disclosed in my co-pending application,Serial No. 195,293, filed March 11, 1938, and entitled Laundryapparatus."

Transmission I0 is enclosed within a housing l2 and comprises, ingeneral, a constant speed driving shaft M, a variable speed driven shaftIS, a pair of gears l8 and 20 fixedly mounted on said shaft l4 and inconstant mesh with a second pair of gears 22 and 24 freely mounted onsaid shaft 15, a friction clutch 26 operable for eifectuating thedriving of said shaft 16 at the higher of its two rotary speeds, and apositive clutch 28-39 operable for effectuating the driving of saidshaft it at the lower of its two speeds. The driving shaft I4 is driventhrough the agency of a pulley 32 which is mounted on said shaft forrotation therewith externally of the housing 12,, and said pulley isdriven through the agency of any well known prime mover (not shown) atsubstantially constant speed. The gears I8 and 22 are of substantiallythe same diameter so that the shaft l6, when driven through the agencyof said gears 18 and 22 and the clutch 26, will be drivenatsubstantially the same speed as the shaft [4. The gears 20 and 24, onthe other hand, are in the ratio of-approximately 1:6 so that the shaft[6, when driven through the agency of said gears and 24 and the clutch28-30, will be driven at substantially one-sixth the speed of the shaftl4.

'A clear description of the clutches 26 and 28-30 is to be found in myaforementioned copending application, Serial No. 260,013, so it isunnecessary to describe the construction of said clutches herein to anygreater extent than to point out that the driving section of the clutch26 is fixed to the constantly rotating gear 22 for rotation therewith,the driving section 36 of the clutch 28-60 is fixed to the constantlyrotating gear 26 for rotation therewith, and the driven section '34 ofand common to each of said driving clutch sections is independentlymounted on a splined portion 36 of the shaft i6 for rotation therewithand selective or automatically timed axial movement therealong betweensaid driving clutch sections. Said co-pending application also clearlydescribes the function and operation of each of these clutches, so itseems only necessary to point out herein that axial movement of thedriven clutch section 34 along the splined section 36 of shaft 16 towardand into engagement with the constantly rotating driving clutch sectionof clutch 26 causes said shaft to be driven at substantially th samespeed as the shaft i i, and that axial movement of said driven clutchsection 34 along said splined section 36 toward and into engagement withthe constantly rotating driving clutch section 30 of clutch 28- 30causes said shaft I 6 to be driven at substantially onesixth the speedof said shaft it.

The shiftable clutch member 34 is shown in Fig. l as being driven by alever 38, and said lever is shown, diagrammatically, as beingautomatically timed and actuated by and through the agency ofa'timer-shifter mechanism, generally indicated at 40. Mechanism 40 isclearly described, both in construction and in function, in myaforementioned co-pending application, Serial No. 260,013, and, in viewof the fact that said mechanism comprises no part of the presentinvention, same will not be further described or discussed herein.Obviously, the shifting of the shiftable clutch member 34 may, insteadof being shifted by the automatic mechanism 40, b shifted by a manuallyoperable mechanism such as that shown in my aforementioned co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 195,293. In short, in the present invention itmatters not how the shaft i6 is driven at variable speeds, just so longas some provision is made whereby said shaft may be driven first at onespeed and then at another.

In order to eliminate shock normally occurring at the relatively movablejaw clutch sections 28 and 30 of the transmission In when changing thespeed of the shaft l6 from the higher speed to its lower speed, that is,when the driven clutch section 34 is shifted from engagement with theand that the present pins which carry the ends of the present springs 42opposite the ends carried the time the present jaw clutch section 28 isbeing engaged with said jaw clutch section 30. This type of shockabsorber has been chosen purely for the purpose of illustration, and,since it has -no bearing upon the invention herein, its use is optionalor. its replacement by some other well known means possible.

Though it is not shown in the drawings, an outer, main casing ispreferably provided for enclosin'gthe entire laundry machine, suchprovision being in the interests of safety and appearance, and to andwithin this casing in any well known manner is secured a wall 48 whichsupports not only the transmission it but one end of a tub 56, said wallbeing one of the side walls of an inner casing (not shown) preferablyprovided for enclosing said tub, and said tub being any one of the wellknown types of rotary tubs employed in a laundry machine of the typebeing described. Wall 88 is formed with an opening through which anexternally threaded, hollow boss 52 projects, said boss being integralwith th transmission housing i2 and internally accommodating the squaredend 54 of the shaft it. For rigidly holding the transmission and itshousing in proper place with respect to the wall 48, a nut 56 is screwedonto the boss 52 into tightened position, there being optionallyprovided a sealing washer 58 between said wall and said nut.

The nut 56 has an annular neck portion 60 integral therewith andextending beyond the end of the boss 52, and on said neck portion 60there is freely mounted an annular flanged plate 64 having a permanentlylubricated bearing surface in the nature of a press-fitted,oil-saturated bushing 62. Between plate 64, bushing 62 and nut 56 theremay be provided a thrust or sealing washer 66. Between bushing 62 andplate 64 there is provided an annular lubricant reservoir 68 which isformed in said plate and filled with lubricant driving section of theclutch 26 into engagement with the driving section 30 of the clutch28-46, a plurality of springs 42 is provided, and on end of each of saidsprings is connected to one of a series of annularly spaced pins 44fixedly mounted on the constantly rotating gear 24, while the other endof each of said springs is connected to one of a series of annularlyspaced'pins 46 which are fixedly mounted on the driving-clutch section30. The arrangement and function of these springs and pins are clearlyset forth inmy aforementioned co-pending application, Serial No.260,013, and it will be noted in said application that the hub of thepresent gear 24 freely carries the present jaw clutch section 30 ofclutch 28- -30 prior 'to the assembly of said plate and said bushing sothat said bushing is constantly in the presence of lubricant.

The hub portion of the plate 64 carries thereon a dished end plate 10the rim of which cooperates with the flanged portion of the plate 64 andthe dished or base portion of which is axially spaced from the hub ofplate 66, the bushing 62 the neck 60 of nut 56 and the end 54 of shaft16, there being preferably provided between the flanged and rim portionsof said plates 64 and 10 a sealing washer '12. The dished or baseportion of the plate 70 fits into an opening provided therefor in thetub 50, this opening being at and symmetrical with theaxis of movementof said tub, and said plate 10 and the plate 64 are secured together attheir flanged and rim portions to said tub 50 by means of a series ofannularly spaced bolt and nut units 14. If desired, a pair of washers l6and I8 is employed in the assembly of the plates 64 and I0 and the tub50, one on each side of said tub. The tub 50, therefore, is carried bythe plates 64 and I0, and this unit 5064--10 together with the bushing62 is rotatably carried on the stationary nut 56, the nut being carriedon the boss 52 of the transmission housing l2.

A driving clutch member is axially formed to fit onto the squared end 54of the shaft I6 '00 be driven by and in accordance therewith, thedriving periphery of said clutch member being arranged for drivingengagement with a pair of diametrically disposed pawls,82 which arepivotally mounted in the annular space between the hub and dishedportions of the plates 64 and III on pins 84, said pins being pressfitted into the hub portion of said plate 64 and extending into andthrough the dished portion of said plate 10. If desired, a shield 86.may be provided on the inner surface of the tub 50 and secured to thepins 84 by screws 88 for preventing the escape of water from within saidtub past said shield.

As shown clearly in Fig. 2, the peripheral driving surface of thedriving clutch member 80 is formed with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced sockets 90 which face or open in the direction of rotation ofsaid member and removably receive the pawls 82 to drive the driven unit64-'|050 through the agency thereof. On the other hand, the generalcontour of the driving surface of the driving clutch member 80 is suchthat, when the driven unit 64-10-50 is rotating at a greater speed thanthe driving unit 54-40, such as when the speed of the shaft I6 is beingchanged from the higher of its two speeds to the lower of its two speedsand the momentum of the tub 50 causes said tub to continue rotating atsaid higher speed, said driven unit will freely over-run said drivingsurface. In other words, except for the sockets 90 which face or open inthe direction of rotation of the driving clutch member 80 the drivingsurface of said member is circular to permit this over-running feature;Though two pairs of sockets 90,

are shown, it is clear that only one pair is absolutely necessary in theevent of employing two pawls 82.

Each pawl 82 comprises a socket-engaging portion 92 which faces thedriving clutch mem ber 80 in a direction counter to its direction ofrotation, and a spring-engaging portion 9% which faces said member 80.in the same direction as its direction of rotation. These pawl portions92 and 94 of each pawl 82 lie on opposite sides of the axis of itsrespective pivot pin 86, the portions 92 being operable, when thedriving section of the over-running clutch is either rotating at thesame speed or at a higher speed than the driven section of said clutch,for engaging the two sockets 90 provided therefor tocause said clutchsections to rotate together, and the portions 96 being constantlyengaged by the free ends of the pair of springs 96 for urging constantengagement between the peripheral driving surface of the driving clutchmember 80 and said portions 92 of said pawls 82. The opposite end ofeach of the springs 96 is fixedly or freely anchored to a pin 98 whichis mounted in the hub portion of the plate 68 between the pawlsupporting pins 84, and intermediate each respective pair of pins 84 and98 there is mounted in said plate another pin I which abuts the innerface of the spring thereadjacent and guarantees exertion of springpressure on the pawl whether the anchored 'end of the spring is loose orfixed.

The over-running clutch retains the advantages of a direct and positivedrive between the transmission shaft l6 and the tub 50 after the speedchange-over has been made and until the next change-over is to be made,and it eliminates all shock which would otherwise be due to the greatmomentum of the clothesand water-filled tub at the time of changing fromthe higher of the two available shaft speeds to the lower of saidspeeds.

Though it appears in Fig. 1 that the unit 62-64-10-82-50 is free to bedisplaced from the neck portionill of the nut 56 upon. which it issupported, it is to be remembered, though it is not shown, that the endof the ,tub 50 opposite the end adjacent the transmission In issupported in any well known manner by that wall of the inner casingwhich is opposite the wall 48.

Although the invention has been described with some detail it is notintended that such description is to be definitive of the limits of theinventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts as will come within thepurview of the attached claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a power transmission unit including a transmission casing havingan external bearing member, a drive shaft, a driven shaft projectingthrough said bearing, an overrunning clutch element secured to saiddriven shaft on the outer end thereof, a power out-put element jouranledon said bearing and extending about said clutch element, change-speedmechanism interposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft forselectively driving said driven shaft at high and low speedsrespectively, and detents carried by said power out-put element forcooperating with said overrunning clutch element whereby said powerout-put element may overrun said driven shaft when the changespeedmechanism is operated. I

'2. In combination with a power-transmission unit including atransmission casing having an external bearing member, a drive shaft, adriven shaft projecting through said bearing, an overrunning clutchelement secured to the free end of the driven shaft to rotate therewith,a power out-put element journaled on said bearing, change-speedmechanism interposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft forselectively driving said driven shaft at high and low speedsrespectively, means carried by said power out-put element foroperatively engaging said overrunning clutch element, a high speedclutch and a low speed clutch for selectively connecting saidchange-speed mechanism with said driven shaft for effecting said high orlow speeds, and means for selectively operating said clutches, said lowspeed clutch comprising a positively engageable jaw clutch and said highspeed clutch comprising a relatively slideable friction clutch.

3. In a power transmission unit including a transmission casing havingan external bearing member, a drive shaft, a driven shaft projectingthrough said bearing, a one way clutch element secured tothe drivenshaft to rotate therewith, a, power out-put element journaled in saidbearing, change-speed mechanism interposed between said drive shaft andsaid driven shaft for selectively driving said driven shaft at high andlow speeds respectively, a high speed clutch and a low speed clutch forselectively connecting said change-speed mechanism with said drivenshaft for effecting said high or low speeds. means for selectivelyoperating said high and low speed clutches, said low speed clutchcomprising a positively engageable jaw clutch having resilient shockabsorbing mechanism therein for absorbing the shock of engagement andsaid high speed clutch comprising a relatively slidea ble frictionclutch, and means carried by said power output element for operativelyand drivingly engaging said one way clutch element whereby said powerout-put unit may continue to rotate under its momentum when thechangespeed mechanism is manipulated.

4. In combination in a washing machine, a rotary clothes container andan annular bearing member therefor, a driving shaft, a one-way clutchelement having peripheral recesses secured to one end of the shaft torotate therewith and within the confines of said annular bearing member,and an interchangeable gear mechanism associated with the other end ofsaid shaft to rotate said shaft at various speeds, an annular poweroutput element secured'to the clothes container freely rotatable aboutand housing said clutch element, detents pivotally mounted between saidoutput element and annular bearing member cooperable with'theretherewith and having peripheral recesses sloping inwardly in adirection counter to the direction of rotation of said shaft, saidclutch element being within the confines of said bearing member, aninterchangeable gearing mechanism connecting the shaft to rotate saidshaft at various speeds, an annular power output member spaced from andsecured to the annular bearing member and surrounding said one-wayclutch element to rotate freely thereon, a detent pivotally mountedbetween said annular bearing member and annular power output member foroperatively engaging said clutch member to cause said output member tobe driven at the same speed as the driving shaft when saidinterchangeable gearing is operative and to allow said power output andclothes container unit to rotate freely on the driving shaft when theinterchangeable gearing is inoperative.

6. In combination in a washing machine, a clothes container and anannular bearing therefor, a drive and driven shaft, interchangeablegearing connecting said shafts, a one-way clutch element secured to thedriven shaft within the confines of said annular bearing member, anannular power output member secured to and spaced from said annularbearing member also surrounding said clutch element and free to rotatethereon, detents pivotally mounted between the annular power outputmember and annular bearing member for engaging said clutch element,resilient means for urging said detent into engagement with said clutchelement whereby said. driven shaft may rotate independently of saidpower output member during the time intervals between speed changes bythe interchangeable gearing.

7. In combination in a washing machine, a rotatable clothes basket andan annular bearing member therefor, a drive shaft and a driven shaftinterconnected by change speed mechanism, a one-Way clutch elementsecured to the driven shaft to rotate therewith within the confines ofsaid annular bearing member, a power output member secured to and spacedfrom said annular bearing member and surrounding said clutch element andfree to rotate thereabout, a pair of arcuately spaced pivoted detentspivotally carried between said annular bearing member and. said poweroutput member for drivingly cooperating with said clutch element andmeans for normally urging said detents in engagement with said clutchelement whereby said power output member, clothes basket and annularbearing member may continue to rotate under the impetus of the load inthe basket during change speed intervals between the drive shaft and thedriven shaft.

8. In combination in a washing machine, a clothes container and anannular bearing therefor, a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a speedchanging mechanism interconnecting said shafts, a one-way clutch elementsecured to the driven shaft having indentations extending in a directioncounter to the direction of rotation of the driven shaft, an annularpower output member secured to the annular bearing member and spacedtherefrom encircling said driven shaft and rotatable relative thereto, apair of detents pivotally carried between said annular bearing 5 memberand said output member cooperating so ing speed changing intervalsbetween with said clutch element, a spring for each detent for normallyurging said detent into driving engagement with said clutch elementwhereby said output member may rotate freely durthe drive shaft anddriven shaft.

9. In combination in a washing machine, a clothes container and anannular bearing therefor, a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a speed 5changing mechanism interconnecting said shafts,

a one-way clutch element mounted on said driven shaft to rotatetherewith and having detent receiving notches, said one-way clutchelement being located within the confines of said 4(, bearing member, anannular output member spaced from and secured to said annular bearingmember also confining said clutch'element and free to rotate relativethereto, a plurality of a'rcuately spaced, power transmitting memberspivotally mounted between said annular bearing member and said poweroutput member for rotation therewith and each having a section extendingin a'direction counter to the direction of rotation of the power outputmember and another section extending in an opposite direction, aplurality of springs anchored to said power output member and annularbearingmember for rotation therewith and each having a free end inconstant engagement with one of said power output members for urging itsrespective first section into driven engagement with one of saidportions to drive said power output member with said clutch elementthrough driving cooperation of said notches and said power transmittingmembers and for permitting the overrunning of said clothes containermember with respect to said clutch element during change speed intervalswhereby said clothes container power output and annular bearing membersmay rotate independently of said change speed mechanism.

10. In combination in a washing machine, a

rotating clothes cylinder and anannular bearing power output member forrotation therewith and having a free end in constant engagement with 7said second section for urging said first section into driven engagementwith said one-way clutch element for maintaining a drive between thedriven shaft, clothes cylinder, annular bearing member, and power outputmember as long as the speed of the latter is equal to that of theformer, said free end being operable for yielding to the force of saidsecond section created by the departure of said first section from saidsocket when the speed of the driven shaft is decreased below that of theclothes cylinder, annular bearing member, and output member whereby saidclothes cylinder may continue to rotate by the impetus of its loadduring speed changing intervals of the change speed mechanism.

11. A combination in a washing machine, a rotary clothes container, adriven shaft, a one-way driving clutch between the container and shaftfor driving the container in one direction while allowing the latter toturn independently of and faster than the shaft in the same direction, adriving shaft, and a two-speed driving mechanism between the driving anddriven shafts for driving the'latter at a low or at a relatively highspeed.

, 12. A combination in a washing machine, a rotary clothes container, adriven shaft, a oneway driving clutch between the container and shaftfor driving the container in one direction clutch having positivelyengageable jaw devices while allowing the latter to turn indepedently ofand faster than the shaft in the same direction, a driving shaft, and atwo-speed driving mechanism between the driving and driven shafts fordriving the latter at a low or at a relatively high speed, saidmechanism including a low-speed provided with resilient shock absorbersfor absorbing the shock of the engagement, and the high speed clutchcomprising a relatively slidable friction device.

HYMAN D. BROTMAN.

